The idea behind letting alternate fuel cars use the HOV lanes is to encourage people to drive these cars. But then the high pollution cars sit in traffic, idling and then accelerating (the two biggest times a car pollutes). What should be done to clean the air is allow the bad polluting cars use the HOV lane so they get to where they are going faster and spend less time polluting.

Note: To prevent everyone from buying a polluter to use the HOV lane, this lane usage only applies to people that drive a polluter right now.
-- GenYus, Mar 05 2004

Actually, the WORST polluters are probably heavy trucks, and they sometimes do have lanes of their own, and even roads dedicated to them. It's not a bad idea really. Not as good perhaps as the creation of incentives to not drive such vehicles but hey.
-- Madcat, Mar 05 2004


I would have voted for a high-polluter *tunnel*... the stinkier inside, the better.
-- phundug, Mar 05 2004


I would rather see the money spent on enforcement of pollution standards that are already in effect. How about a *7439 (*PHEW) where motorists could report vehicles, that are out of compliance, on their cellphones? A letter could be sent to the driver that they need to bring in a current EPA smog check certificate, or get a new one.
-- Klaatu, Mar 05 2004


<deletable rant> As long as they *have* to use the polluter/LOV lane, it takes them hours to get anywhere, and the next day, they'll pick up carpoolers and use the 3 or 4 HOV lanes available. <dr/>
-- oxen crossing, Mar 05 2004



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